DESCRIPTIVE AND COMPARATIVE MYOLOGY OF THE HINDLIMB OF THE BABIRUSA (BABYROUSA-BABYRUSSA L 1758)

A description is given of the anatomy of the muscles of the hindlimb o f the babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa L. 1758). Four adult animals, two males and two females were dissected and the results compared with pre viously published information. Significant differences were found betw een the accounts and these were analysed within the contexts of materi al availability and advances in anatomical nomenclature. Comparisons m ade with published descriptions of the pig (Sus scrofa) showed that th e muscular anatomies of the two species are very similar. Those differ ences which are apparent, despite intraspecies variation in structure, include a thoracic vertebral origin for the M. psoas minor in babirus a but not pig, a smaller gluteal tongue to the M. gluteus medius in th e babirusa, a failure of the Mm. gluteus medius to meet on the dorsal midline in the babirusa unlike the case in the pig, the two heads of t he M. gluteus accessorius are of unequal size in the babirusa but not in the pig, the vertebral head of the M. obturatorius externus is abse nt in the babirusa and present in the pig.